Poetry

The Wonder

John Whitworth

 

I.M. Richard Hogg 1944–2007

 

Start with the wonder. Start with what we know:

Deep Space and starships crossing and recrossing.

You’ve done all that; you’ve dared to boldly go.

Like Captain Kirk we did our shares of bossing,

Of course we did, and now I’m old and fat.

Everyone’s old, or if they’re not, they’re dead,

Some of us are, you are. Enough of that.

The best of what’s to come is in the head.

The old have pictures in their heads. Just so.

They do, we do. A stab at permanence:

Pictures of what we did, of what we know

Because of what we did. They all make sense

Somehow, except we’re old. It’s what I said:

Everyone’s old, or if you’re not, you’re dead.